In an information handling system, electronic shopping on a global computer network such as the Internet can be frustrating and time consuming. While analysts expect shopping on global computer networks to increase dramatically over the next few years, the popularity of "cyber-shopping " will remain low if a few significant problems are not solved. Specifically, consumers spend too much time searching for items and currently have difficulty conducting comparisons between competing items at different merchants. Consumers are also presented with a checkout screen by each merchant where they purchase items. This requires the user to enter essentially the same information over and over again. Finally, users have little confidence that the security of their sensitive financial data, such as credit card numbers, will be maintained by each and every merchant web site. Some merchants may be sophisticated and utilize security means to protect data while others are simply trying to keep up with their competitors and want a "web presence " without fully understanding the security issues involved.
One of the major problems with the prior art is that users are frustrated with the time it takes to go shopping on the Internet. Much of the consumption of time stems from the fact that each conventional virtual store is typically designed like a traditional paper-based catalogue. Each virtual store typically has a way for customers to browse for items, select items they wish to purchase, and checkout using a credit card. Conventionally, the user is forced to go to each specific store and do the same set of activities over and over again. When the user wishes to checkout, he or she is typically shown a checkout screen requiring the user to fill in their name, address, phone number(s), electronic mail (e-mail) address, credit card information, and other information that the merchant may require. As there are no standards yet in place on the Internet, each merchant's checkout screen typically varies considerably from other merchants'checkout screens. This causes the user additional confusion and frustration.
Another problem with conventional virtual stores is that it is difficult for the user to comparison shop. If the user finds a better deal at a second store they may have already purchased the item at the first store. At that point, it is usually too late to return the first item. The user will have to wait until the item arrives and return the item if the merchant allows for such returns. To avoid this problem, the user must typically make two shopping trips. The first trip is needed to browse through available merchandise without making any selections or purchasing any items. The user typically has to make notes throughout their browsing trip as to which merchant offers the best terms based upon the user's personal shopping preferences. These preferences include price, quality, shipping terms, return policies, and other criteria which users utilize to make shopping selections. The second trip is needed to go back to the stores with the best deals in terms of the user's preferences and complete the purchase. The user completes the purchase by finding the items and merchants identified during their browsing trip, selecting those items on the selection screen provided by each merchant, and completing the checkout screen for each merchant.
A third problem with the prior art is security. Each merchant sets up its virtual store differently. Since shoppers at virtual stores typically purchase items using a credit card, this sensitive financial information may be able to be seen by would be thieves and computer hackers if the merchant's site is not secured using encryption and other forms of data security. Distrust over the security of the merchant's payment system often causes shoppers to look elsewhere even though the merchant has better quality or prices.